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    Home » Recipes » Salad

    BBQ Chickpea Salad with Avocado Ranch

    Feb 1, 2015 by Kaitlin

    This fresh and colorful vegan BBQ Chickpea Salad is so flavorful! It's tossed with a homemade avocado ranch dressing, then topped with tender, warm chickpeas simmered in BBQ sauce. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

    Plate of BBQ chickpea salad with vegan avocado ranch dressing

    This is a plant-based version of the classic BBQ Chicken Salad!

    It's easy to assemble, and packed with flavor and protein.

    The colorful chopped salad is tossed with a homemade vegan ranch dressing. (Or you can simply use your own favorite ranch.)

    Then we top it with tender, warm chickpeas simmered in BBQ sauce. (Yum.)

    It's great for lunch, dinner, take-along lunches, meal prep, etc.

    Garbanzo beans, carrots, tomato, sweet corn, and green onion ingredients in a white bowl

    Ingredients for BBQ Chickpea Salad

    For this recipe you will toss together:

    • Garbanzo beans (chickpeas): We use these for the chicken replacement. Chickpeas have a tender, hearty texture and are rich in plant-based protein and fiber.
    • BBQ sauce: Use your own favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe, either homemade or store bought.
    • Romaine lettuce
    • Cooked sweet corn: You can either use cooked fresh, canned, frozen, or fire-roasted.
    • Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes: Or roma tomato, plum tomato, or other garden tomatoes. I like cherry or grape tomatoes best in this recipe for their rich, sweet flavor.
    • Shredded carrots
    • Green onion (scallion): Or you can use red onion for a stronger onion flavor.
    • Avocado ranch dressing: See the recipe below for my homemade vegan avocado ranch dressing, or simply use your own favorite ranch dressing.
    Bowl of BBQ chickpea salad with creamy vegan ranch dressing swirled on top

    Storing

    Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

    To keep it fresh and crisp: Store the prepared dressing, BBQ chickpeas, and salad separately. Then toss the three together when you're ready to serve.

    If stored separately, we find it keeps well for about 3-4 days.

    Dressing note: We usually have a little dressing left over. But I like using it on other salads or as a veggie dip! It keeps for about 3 days in the fridge.

    BBQ chickpea chopped salad on a plate

    For more inspiration, also browse all salad recipes or chickpea recipes.

    Plate of BBQ chickpea salad with vegan avocado ranch dressing

    BBQ Chickpea Salad with Avocado Ranch

    A fresh and colorful chopped salad tossed with creamy avocado ranch. Then topped with tender, warm chickpeas simmered in BBQ sauce!
    4.91 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
    Servings: 3 large salads

    Ingredients

    • 15 oz. can chickpeas
    • 2/3 cup BBQ sauce
    • 1 large head romaine
    • 1 cup cooked sweet corn (canned, frozen, or cooked fresh)
    • 1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
    • 1 cup shredded carrots
    • 2-3 green onions

    For the avocado ranch:

    • 1 avocado (peeled and pitted)
    • 1 cup almond or soy milk (plain and unsweetened)
    • 3 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
    • 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
    • 1-2 cloves garlic
    • 1/2 tsp. dried dill (or 1-2 Tbsp. fresh dill)
    • 1/2 tsp. dried parsley (or 1-2 Tbsp. fresh parsley)
    • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
    • Salt to taste
    • Optional: fresh chives

    Instructions

    • Make the dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine all dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors if necessary.
    • Rinse and drain chickpeas. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer chickpeas in BBQ sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Feel free to add a splash of vegetable broth or water to slightly thin the sauce if desired.)
    • Meanwhile, chop the romaine, tomatoes, and green onion. Place in a bowl. Add corn and carrots. Toss to combine.
    • When ready to assemble, distribute the salad into bowls, toss with desired amount of dressing, and top with warm BBQ chickpeas.

    Notes

    Storing leftovers: This keeps best if the dressing, BBQ chickpeas, and salad are stored separately.
    Dressing: The leftover dressing stores for about 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. (We enjoy it as a veggie dip as well.)

    Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

    Nutrition Facts
    BBQ Chickpea Salad with Avocado Ranch
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    474
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    16
    g
    25
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    13
    %
    Potassium
     
    1308
    mg
    37
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    75
    g
    25
    %
    Fiber
     
    15
    g
    63
    %
    Sugar
     
    31
    g
    34
    %
    Protein
     
    15
    g
    30
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    9139
    IU
    183
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    44
    mg
    53
    %
    Calcium
     
    241
    mg
    24
    %
    Iron
     
    5
    mg
    28
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating or comment below!

    If you are enjoying this vegan BBQ Chickpea Salad recipe with avocado ranch, also check out:

    • Portobello Mushroom Fajitas
    • Cucumber Tomato Salad
    • Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

    Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

    More Vegan Salad Recipes

    • Roasted Red Pepper Dressing (Oil-Free)
    • Roasted Chickpea Salad with Hummus
    • Asian-Style Kale & Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Dill Dressing

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating:




    1. Clarissa

      July 27, 2022 at 1:55 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe! It was delicious. I added the juice from half of a lime to the dressing and it was so good. The salad was also great with a sprinkle of shredded cheese.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        July 27, 2022 at 4:35 pm

        Hi Clarissa! That's awesome to hear, and great call with the lime juice in the dressing and added cheese! Thanks so much for sharing your kind and helpful feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jessica

      July 04, 2021 at 2:32 pm

      5 stars
      This is so fresh, flavorful, and filling. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        July 04, 2021 at 3:43 pm

        Great to hear you enjoyed!

        Reply
    3. S.Renae

      March 08, 2018 at 12:37 am

      What size avocado do you recommend?

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        March 19, 2018 at 8:25 pm

        Hi! I based this on an average/medium avocado. If yours is extra big or small, feel free to adjust the other amounts slightly to get the texture as desired.

        Reply
    4. Victoria

      May 31, 2017 at 6:53 pm

      My family is half vegetarian and half meat-eaters. I made this with the chickpeas and bbq chicken (for those who eat chicken). Everyone LOVED it and said we didn't even need the chicken. Getting added to the recipe rotation for sure! Thank You!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        August 18, 2017 at 7:10 pm

        That's great! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    5. Tasha Willett

      December 12, 2015 at 6:09 pm

      I just made this for lunch and it was awesome! I had all the ingredients except tomatoes but I will add those in next time. This recipe is a keeper.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        December 19, 2015 at 1:11 am

        Thanks for sharing your kind feedback!

        Reply
    6. Melissa Dressely

      September 13, 2015 at 12:03 am

      Very easy to make, and i had most of the ingredients on hand. Delicious!!! The dressing is creamy and thick.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        September 16, 2015 at 10:35 pm

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    7. Anonymous

      August 02, 2015 at 11:56 pm

      We had this for dinner tonight and loved it!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        August 04, 2015 at 1:55 pm

        Great to hear!

        Reply
    8. Carmen

      April 26, 2015 at 5:05 pm

      Just made this for lunch...so good!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        April 27, 2015 at 4:39 pm

        Awesome, Carmen! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    9. Everyday Foodie

      April 23, 2015 at 10:17 pm

      Made this earlier this week and had the leftovers tonight (each part stored separately) and it's super yummy!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        April 24, 2015 at 1:49 pm

        Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    10. JM

      April 22, 2015 at 4:42 pm

      Loved it! Thank you for restoring our faith in plant-based eating! (We started eating this way just over a month ago and have had a lot of "ok" meals.)

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        April 23, 2015 at 2:11 pm

        Thank you! So glad to hear you enjoyed it. Hope you find some other recipes you love just as much!

        Reply
    11. Gina Holmes

      March 20, 2015 at 10:00 am

      This was excellent. Looking forward to trying many more of your recipes.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        March 21, 2015 at 11:52 pm

        Wonderful, thanks for the kind feedback!

        Reply
    12. Mandy

      March 05, 2015 at 4:01 pm

      I made this for dinner the other night and my husband and I gobbled it up. Another great recipe! Thank you! Your recipes have consistently been some of our favorite vegetarian/vegan meals.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        March 05, 2015 at 4:52 pm

        That's so great to hear! Thank you!

        Reply
    13. Ali

      March 02, 2015 at 1:49 pm

      Can I use regular white vinegar in this? I couldn't find white wine vinegar at my grocery store.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        March 02, 2015 at 2:04 pm

        Hey Ali! I'd try rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you have either of those. Otherwise a little white vinegar would probably be okay too! Start with a smaller amount and add more to taste if needed.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kaitlin!
    I share vegan recipes that are easy & healthy. (Mostly whole food plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free.) About Me →

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